A report released by SFU on May 14, 2004, concludes that the moratorium on offshore oil and gas should be maintained. The most comprehensive report released to date, this is the first report that addresses the economics. The results highlight limited opportunities for economic benefits for BC and caution that the costs to tourism and fishing would likely outweigh any net gain.

The report, entitled A REVIEW OF OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (link removed), is a study prepared for the Coastal First Nations by the Offshore Oil and Gas Research Group, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University.

The B.C. Scientific Review Panel’s conclusions (link removed) were that there are significant gaps in knowledge, that environmental impacts could be catastrophic, that existing regulatory structures are deficient, and that a number of preconditions need to be met before OOGD can proceed. These all suggest that the lifting of the existing moratorium would be premature.

The Federal Expert Panel (FEP) which reviewed the scientific arguments for the moratorium did not recommend lifting the moratorium. FEP emphasized that a number of conditions need to be met prior to OOGD proceeding, which is in effect maintaining a moratorium on OOGD.

A few weeks ago, television news and newspaper columns headlined stories about a new totem pole being erected on southern Haida Gwaii. While the coverage was widespread and pictures of the 13-metre totem pole were magnificent, most of the coverage was superficial and missed the real significance of the 20th anniversary of the agreement establishing […]

When I heard the government of British Columbia’s announcement that no oil or gas drilling would be allowed in the Sacred Headwaters, my eyes welled up with tears. I’m a sucker for situations where strong, committed people overcome the combined forces of huge corporations and their allies in government. The Tahltan’s fight to protect the […]

British Columbia became poorer when legendary activists Art Loring and Jim Green died within weeks of one another in February. These two courageous men dramatically changed the course of British Columbia history and both British Columbia and Dogwood Initiative mourn their loss. Both Art and Jim were directors of Forest Futures – Dogwood Initiative’s original […]